Trailblazers

While the second Saturday of September is still officially summer, it sure felt like autumn at the starting line for the Jim Mayer Trail Family Fun Run. No matter the season, Johnstown is a great place to discover outdoor recreation.

The Jim Mayer Trail stretches from Riverside to Bridge Street with this event beginning and ending at the Riverside trailhead. This morning race served as the final leg in the 2017 Cambria County Trail Series. This initiative highlighted our local trail system and gave community members an opportunity to compete on historic paths. On this morning, a gallery of ducks welcomed runners to the registration table.

I had never set foot on the Jim Mayer Trail before, so it was new terrain and a new experience. The pre-autumn chill quickly evaporated once we were a-running.  The trail is flat and overlooks the home of the ducks, the Stoneycreek River. I really enjoyed the out-and-back race. I enjoyed the out more, but kept my legs pumping for the back.

While exercise is my primary motivation to get out and running, the community camaraderie is a close second. There were familiar, friendly faces on the trail or volunteering to make it all possible. There were low-fives during the race and handshakes during the awards presentation. I didn't take home any hardware, but I am grateful for the hard work of those race day volunteers.

Over the past decade, I have been steadfast in being a part of race days like this one. Races are often a fusion of fellowship and a community making things happen and taking positive action. My speed might not be as quick as it once was, but my passion for contributing to community is picking up the pace.

Later in the day, my youngest and I took a stroll through Stackhouse Park. When we entered the park, it was like trying to hold a hummingbird. When we exited, she was a snoring, snuggle bug. By mid-afternoon, the summer sun was making a resurgence.

When the fall season truly begins, Johnstown trails will be an ongoing topic of conversation and restoration. On September 28th @ 6:00 p.m., Stone Bridge Brewing Company will be the site of a fundraiser to raise money and awareness for a trails project on the hillside of the Inclined Plane. Back in my childhood, I remember taking my dog down some of that slope. As of today, the trail system needs work and there is a team of community members with a plan of attack. Anyone interested in this project should stop down and learn about the plan and the people behind it.

A Scripture verse this Sunday read, "Your word is a lamp to my feet, a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path."  I've always gravitated to the analogy of life as a journey and being out in nature, out on trails, certainly gives me time to pause and think about all the good that is out there. And while in that pause, my feet keep following the trail.

I look forward to the next race, the next wilderness walk with my snuggle bug, and to learning more about the Inclined Plane project.

Together, let's lead Johnstown in the right direction. From what I've seen and heard recently, we are well on our way.